Simon Jordan hasn’t reacted well to comments made by Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp.
Liverpool have a massive Merseyside derby away to Everton tonight.
There’s a fascinating subplot in the form of Virgil van Dijk, who returns to Goodison Park for the first time since his injury.
Everton goalkeeper Jordan Pickford injured the Reds powerhouse, who would go on to miss the next nine months with a knee problem.
Speaking on Tuesday, the Liverpool boss said that ‘situation should not happen in football’ [Sky Sports], referencing the Toffees’ keeper’s challenge on his man.
But Jordan has told talkSPORT that he doesn’t understand the German manager’s gripe, arguing that feisty challenges are par for the course in such a big game.
The former Crystal Palace owner also intimated that Klopp shouldn’t be trying to referee the game from the dugout.
He said: “I find myself looking at Klopp and going ‘I don’t know it sounds a bit flaky!’.
“It’s a big game, a Merseyside derby. If you can’t have a bit of blood and passion in one of the biggest gams in English football…..really?
“You cannot take the heat out of a game like this because the fans provided the heat and the players will react to it. The referees are perfectly capable of refereeing this game without guidance from Jurgen Klopp.”
Klopp, who earns £192,000 per week on Merseyside, does have a point in what he says.
But by the same token, this is a derby clash and such games are always – every single time – going to have elements of spice.
And that’s a good thing because more times than not, players do escape serious injury and the meaty challenges don’t detract from the overall spectacle.
Liverpool are big favourites to snatch the bragging rights, having scored 10 goals in their last three games in all competitions.
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
